Morning Conversation

The night passed without incident.

The next morning, perhaps because of yesterday's light rain, a thin mist hung over the small woods in the Training Grounds.

Bai De and Feng Laixian had gotten up early and caught a stray roe deer in the woods. They were now roasting it over a campfire outside the cabin. Feng Laixian was an expert at grilling. Skinned and skewered on a wooden pole, the deer had turned golden over the flames and gave off a mouthwatering aroma.

"Morning, Instructor Bai. Morning, Master Feng."

Zhang Ping had spent the night meditating. When he stepped out of the cabin and saw them, he greeted them.

He picked a fairly clean rock, used Flame Eater to dry the mist from its surface in an instant, then planted both hands on it and went into a handstand to do push-ups.

After a night of meditation, both his physical strength and Mental Strength had fully recovered.

He had done about fifteen hundred handstand push-ups by the time Zhao Yanlong and Zhao Yanhu got up. Seeing how hard Zhang Ping was working, they started doing push-ups beside him.

"I'll loosen up too!"

The deer still needed time to roast, so Bai De stood and joined them with a smile.

All four were in good shape and could chat while they exercised. When Zhang Ping asked about the woods, Bai De told him what he had found on yesterday's patrol.

The Training Grounds lay at the edge of a vast canyon.

Mountains and cliffs surrounded it. The rock was hard and steep, and an unknown force interfered with navigation. Anyone who tried to enter the Training Grounds anywhere but through the main entrance was certain to lose their way.

Entering through the main gate, the first thing one saw was a